Thetownend.com

It's that time of year again, the 6 Nations starts tomorrow with England vs Wales, and, if your workplace is anything like mine, I suspect you'll all be rather amused at the number of people who have not mentioned any ties across the seven bridge for the previous 10 months and who speak with very English accents who are suddenly declaring themselves Welsh.

Still, I'm partial to a bit of egg chasing and I'm sure I'm not alone on here.

Who do we fancy to win the thing and to shine then? Ireland looked very good in the Autumn Internationals whilst England have a ridiculous injury list, Wales look very strong and even Scotland look much improved.

For me, I think Ireland should win and probably have fixtures to help them do it. Looking forward to seeing how Jonathan Joseph goes for England.

England team to face Wales: (tomorrow night)

Mike Brown (Harlequins); Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby); George Ford (Bath Rugby), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers); Joe Marler (Harlequins), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby), George Kruis (Saracens), James Haskell (Wasps), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt), Billy Vunipola (Saracens)

Replacements: Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby)

Yeah, I hate to admit it, but I suspect Wales will have too much for a patched up England sire tomorrow. Dont get me wrong, all of the players selected by England are very good players, but the difference in rugby is often about tried & tested partnerships that are needed to get the edge over the opposition particularly at the set piece. While our front row is looking almost back to its best (Corbisiero must get back in when fully fit), its the lineout that worries me. The 2 locks are about 4th & 5th choices really and I've never been a big fan of Haskell, Tom Wood is one of those players who doesnt always do the spectacular stuff but is missed when he's not there.

Hoping desperately that Wales dont win the whole thing, if England get 3 wins they will have done alright.

It's the most open Six Nations for years.  For this reason, I've gone nowhere near the sweepstake this year.  Anything could happen.

Would really like to get a bit more into it but every time I try to watch a game I find it so bleedin complicated... Rucks, mauls, kicks to touch, refs pointing the wrong way etc.
Is it worth my while having another crack at trying to 'get it'?

No. It's shit.

Did you know that something like 6 of the last 7 England tries have been scored by Glos players ?

Eat shit Bath boys

All down to how the scrum is refereed tomorrow.

If the ref knows what he's doing, England will get a big advantage.
If he doesn't get it right, Wales will be able to nullify a big England threat.

The ref is however French, and they tend to value good scrummaging, so we should be OK

How many of them starting tomorrow then?

I think I count 5 Bath...

Yeah, Garcès isn't usually that bad. Anyone but Steve Walsh really.

That's a strong front row, the scrum should be a good contest. I do worry about the (relatively) untested backline though. Although I suppose this is all just preparation for the big show later in the year though.

I'll take getting through the tournament without getting our pants pulled down. Having said that, I absolutely hate losing to the Welsh, so a win tomorrow would be lovely.

Come on Wales.

I played rugby against johnny may at school 8) Taught him everything he knows

I see the referee giving a penalty and have no idea what for.

Incidentally, watched a national last 16 game my sixth form team were playing yesterday. They/We scored a try and celebrated (as you would), to the referee saying "It's not football get back and play the game."
I don't mind people enjoying rugby, it's just they're so snobbish and always have insecurities of what's the better sport so they insult football; just my views of course.

It's kind of what you're doing in reverse ?

I've always loved and played both games

Obviously I have compared rugby to football there, but the point I'm trying to get across is rugby fans always seem to diss football and try and feel like the superior sport, whereas I think football fans largely just let people who play rugby get on with it.
I do have a bias perspective because personally don't like rugby and just get fed up with rugby fans slating football.

Barf and England for me. Batter em  :)

Love rugby, great game, although I wish they'd sort out the time scrums (and the resetting of) take out of the games.

Weird feeling tonight, as I'd like to see the Bath players do well, but there's such an arrogance about England Rugby that a Welsh victory wouldn't be a bad thing.

Arrogance? You say, yep, I've already heard certain media types declare if England beat Wales they will win the grand slam. And yes it's all about the media, not the actual supporters.

don't mind watching a bit of rugby, quite like the game, but not so much that i actually care if we lose.

mind you, feel the same way about the national football team these days!

One interesting thing with Rugby is that all the kids I went to school with who had no interest in sport then seem to have morphed into great rugby supporters - no idea why?

I enjoy watching the odd bit of rugby now and then but have never really been mad into it. Only time I've gone out of my way to see a game was when I was at uni in Wales, and that was because as an expat Englishman I couldn't bear to let the side down.

I'm not mad into rugby but enjoy watching the six nations. The missus is Irish and much prefers rugby to football so the bantz is decent, especially when England beat Ireland.

I'm no expert and read that England have loads of injuries whilst Wales have a settled side. I'm plumping for Ireland to win the tournament and Italy to get the wooden spoon.

Union's problem, is that too much time is wasted on scrums, line outs and penalties.  It really needs to go down to 13 players, get rid of line outs and reduce the reward for pens....so basically become rugby league.

I'd rate England's chances in Cardiff as between zip and zero....rugby is quite a simple game, presently obfuscated by management speak.  I did like Peter Stringer talking on 5live last night....."Ireland have a simple game plan....run forward with the ball and then get it wide"

Exactly what my old games master used to tell us 50 years ago  :)

Was he called Patrik Moore?

rugby at school was for fat kids who couldnt play football

That's like I used to be. I couldn't have cared less for Rugby, but my Dad being born in Wales to a Welsh Dad meant he only supports Wales in Rugby, for everything else he's English. He passed that on to me, but when I inadvertently ended up in Sydney for The World Cup, I decided I was English.

Still don't really care for the game to be honest, but I'll watch it on occasion and wonder what the fuck's going on.

Nah, he was a norvern bastard, in the same mould as Brian Glover from Kes.  About 6ft 4 and built like a brick shithouse, he challenged us 12 yr old boys to tackle him....not all at once...some who tried bounced off, one kid, who was small even for a 12 yr old, felled the cunt into the mud,  :) he went on to captain England.

Think yourself lucky you didn't have a rugby mad PE teacher. Didn't see a football in PE for the first two years, nobody did.

Matty Collins and Michael Pook were in my school rugby team, so I suppose your statement has some truth.

Which school was this? Good to see a Swindon born lad in the England team.

Jonny May grew up in Wootton Bassett.

I know Dave went to Bradon Forest, so I guess May probably went to Wootton Bassett Comp.

Scrap that, the reliable source that is Wikipedia says May grew up in Chiseldon and went to Ridgeway School.

:Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Didnt matt collins shag that imogen bird from big brother?

I'm sure that was offside...

I am not normally very racist, not even a smidge as it happens, but take that you Taff cunts.

No offence intended, unless taken.

Reg, as a convert to Union only about 13 years ago or so, can I kindly take your League comments and tell you kindly to fuck off?

Love you. :-)

Oh dear Reg................

Take your shitty northern rugby, and stick it. I'll stick to proper rugby thanks.

I most certainly did not. Hreod. My mate tells me that May was in their football team too, but would play in rugby boots. I was (and still am) shite at football, so can't verify that

Oops, sorry Dave. Must be getting you confused with Tails.

Tails went to Bradon so who knows what you're thinking about.

Brilliant second half last night, didn't see that coming at all. I'm looking forward to work on Monday...

How sweet was that.....beating the welsh on home soil - it doesn`t get much better except perhaps beating the jocks on their own soil....great start to the 6 Nations - which will hopefully be followed by a home win today.

I'm just echoing thoughts which are out there in the rugby world.....this from a piece by Guardian egg chasing journo Robert Kitson...

He wasn't really man of the match, but the man of the match was awarded to a 5ft 10 inch 13 stone Fly Half. 

Don't get me wrong, I can watch a League game and enjoy it, but Union has much more complexity that makes it fun.  Beating the Welsh was even more fun.